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2010 Special Report: Southeast Asia Life & Non-Life – Market Review. Southeast Asia May Reward Shrewd Investors, Punish the Careless
Southeast Asia is seen as an exciting and rapidly developing insurance market. A.M. Best believes the insurance markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam will continue to grow. While each market in this region has unique opportunities, there are also challenges that require investors to approach them with care.
February 22, 2010 - 12 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Property/Casualty – 2009 Rating Trend Review. Upgrades, Downgrades Moved at a Similar Pace in 2009
A rebound in financial markets and a decline in underwriting losses in 2009 contributed to the U.S. property/casualty industry posting much stronger financial results compared with 2008. Fewer catastrophes losses, better investment results and some year-over-year improvement in the mortgage and financial guaranty business lines led to a decline in the industry’s combined ratio.
February 22, 2010 - 12 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Hospitals/Health Care Systems – Financial Review. Focus for 2010 is on Preserving Cash and Reducing Risk
U.S. not-for-profit hospitals and health care systems have felt pressure to support the high cost of health information technology, facilities upgrades and maintenance amid an increasing demand for charity care and community services. They continue to focus more on managing and reallocating their investment portfolios in order to provide capital stability and growth as well as building cash reserves.
February 15, 2010 - 8 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Life/Annuity & Health – 2009 Rating Trend Review. Weakening Performance Deepens Trough of Rating Downgrades
Rating actions in 2009 were overwhelmingly negative for the life/health industry, with 69 total downgrades versus nine upgrades based upon rating units. As in past years, the life/annuity sector had far worse experience than the health sector in terms of rating activity. Due to economic uncertainties, A.M. Best is maintaining its negative rating outlook on the life/annuity and health insurance sectors.
February 15, 2010 - 12 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Health – Review & Preview. Weak Economy, Higher Costs, Enrollment Declines Hurt Results
Health insurers’ results in 2009 were impacted by rising unemployment, an uptick in utilization, pricing pressures from employer groups and the H1N1 virus. A final health care reform bill was not passed in 2009, though the Obama administration and congressional leaders may yet opt for a scaled down reform package that could lead to new financial and regulatory challenges in 2010.
February 08, 2010 - 20 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Life/Annuity – Review & Preview. Life Insurers Take Stock and Lay Groundwork for Recovery
The life insurance industry so far has survived the financial crisis intact generally healthier than its financial services peers. The industry’s asset side and capital strength was most notably affected. While capital measures have stabilized, A.M. Best believes challenges remain that are driven by macroeconomic issues.
February 08, 2010 - 32 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Property/Casualty – Review & Preview. U.S. P/C Industry’s Profits Rebound; Challenges to Persist
The U.S. property/casualty industry’s operating results recovered in 2009 from a catastrophe-riddled 2008, driven by improved underwriting results and the continued recovery in the financial markets. A.M. Best expects the industry’s net income after taxes to improve to $30.6 billion
for 2009, up almost tenfold from the $3.8 billion reported in 2008.
February 08, 2010 - 36 Pages
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2010 Special Report: Global Banking – Issue Review. Taxing Times for the Private Banking Industry
Having weathered the credit crunch with relative ease, the offshore private banking industry faces a different set of obstacles as a global crackdown on tax evasion has led to heavy pressure being exerted on so-called "tax havens." In this report, A.M. Best examines four key European jurisdictions: Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Switzerland.
February 01, 2010 - 20 Pages
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2010 Special Report: European Banking -– Issue Review. European Banks Juggle Funding & Liquidity Needs
European Banks face significant challenges in managing funding and liquidity, which are at least as important as the amount and quality of capital in positioning the industry to meet future financial crises. Banks are vying for finite sources of funding amid the current recession, and costs are higher, putting pressure on profitablity even as loan losses are mounting.
January 11, 2010 - 12 Pages
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2010 Special Report: U.S. Life/Health – Investments Financial Review. Mixed Signals: Has the Economy Begun Its Recovery?
A.M. Best concurs with the International Monetary Fund’s recent findings that life insurers are threatened by losses on commercial mortgages, but more significantly by the risk of a prolonged economic slump that would raise the cost of fulfilling guarantees on certain products.
January 11, 2010 - 12 Pages
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